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Brussels will not turn Hungary into 'country of migrants', rages Viktor Orban

Viktor Orban was roundly criticised for Hungary's drift towards illiberalism in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

James Crisp

11 September 2018 • 4:14 PM

Viktor Orban warned he would never allow Brussels to transform Hungary into “a country of migrants” on Tuesday, ahead of an unprecedented vote tomorrow in the European Parliament that could strip Budapest of its EU voting rights.

MEPs will vote on whether to trigger “Article 7”, an EU law drafted to ensure respect for democracy and the rule of law, amid fears that Mr Orban is turning Hungary into a dictatorship.

“You believe you know better than the Hungarians themselves,” Mr Orban told MEPs, after arriving late at Tuesday's debate. “Hungary will be condemned because Hungarians have decided their country is not going to be a country of migrants."

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Viktor Orban warned he would never allow Brussels to transform Hungary into “a country of migrants” on Tuesday, ahead of an unprecedented vote tomorrow in the European Parliament that could strip Budapest of its EU voting rights.

MEPs will vote on whether to trigger “Article 7”, an EU law drafted to ensure respect for democracy and the rule of law, amid fears that Mr Orban is turning Hungary into a dictatorship.

“You believe you know better than the Hungarians themselves,” Mr Orban told MEPs, after arriving late at Tuesday's debate. “Hungary will be condemned because Hungarians have decided their country is not going to be a country of migrants."

Mr Orban is at loggerheads with Brussels over mandatory migrant relocation quotas, as well as laws in Hungary cracking down on NGOs, the media and the Central European University.

In an incendiary speech that exposed deep EU divisions, he claimed the “verdict was already written” by a “pro-migration majority”, despite his Fidesz party being a member of the European Peoples Party (EPP), the largest parliament group.

“We will protect our borders and we will decide who to live together with. We have built a fence and we have stopped illegal migrants. Hundreds of thousands of them. We have defended Hungary and we have defended Europe," he said.

"This is the first case in the history of Europe when a community has condemned its own border guard,” he added.

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“Thank God there is at least one European leader prepared to stand up for his principles, his culture, his nation and his people in the face of such extreme bullying,” said Nigel Farage, the MEP and former Ukip leader.

“Come and join the Brexit club. You’ll love it,” he said, after telling Mr Orban he was at a “show trial”.

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There is speculation that EPP support for Mr Orban is splintering but British Conservative MEPs will vote against Article 7 because it “infringes the sovereignty of a member state”.

“Will you ensure that the values of this Union are more than just words written on a piece of paper?” asked Judith Sargentini, the Dutch Green MEP who wrote the parliament report that will be voted on.